


A Medical Emergency: Dr. Law Performs a Thoracotomy!

by MaddiKitten



Category: One Piece
Genre: Akuma no Mi | Devil Fruit, F/M, Medical Procedures, Mild Language, Original Character(s), Pre-Relationship, Relationship(s), Short One Shot, Surgery, thoracotomy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-04
Packaged: 2018-07-19 12:15:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7361167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaddiKitten/pseuds/MaddiKitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katherine is defeated by Trafalgar Law, Roranoa Zoro, and Monkey D. Luffy in a fight to the death. She is terrified of being caught and killed by her boss Donquixote Doflamingo and is offered a place with Law to improve his odd of taking out Doflamingo. While the group is nearing the Thousand Sunny, Katherine becomes dizzy and is revealed to have purple bruising over her chest, a sign of internal bleeding in the chest area. Dr. Law performs an emergency Thoracotomy on her and rests with her as she recovers to watch her vitals. He questions why he's becoming attached to her before wondering "What if I can't protect her...?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Just barely holding up in her sphinx form, Katherine and Zoro crossed weapons in one last move. Zoro overpowered her as black lightning emitted around the area of effect from both enhancing their weapons with Haki before Katherine was nearly cut when he suddenly jumped back with an interruption from Luffy.

 

"Gum Gum Pistol!!!" Luffy had extended his arm back before unleashing the force blunt trauma to her chest causing her to fly backward and hit against the rocky wall of the cave. She slipped down onto the floor, bleeding slightly from a cut on her forehead. She lay helpless and reverted back to her human form shaking. She panted wet with sweat as she forced herself to sit up upon regaining her breath and was too injured to focus as she neglected to cover herself. The tape over her nipples at the least covered those assets, but she wore nothing to cover her crotch as Law and Luffy stared. Zoro, however, didn't seem interested at all and focused on detaining her if she tried anything.

"Finally, it's over!" Zoro commented in exhaustion as sweat dripped down his face and clothes.

Katherine shook lightly and flinched when Law walked over to the ocean blue cloth that caught his eye and tossed it to her. She wrapped it around herself as the three boys approached her with Zoro ready to at the most knock her out if she gave any trouble. Law put his arm in front of Zoro, palm facing the swordsman's chest as he looked down at the trembling, naked, and terrified girl, "I doubt she's going to pose any trouble with how things turned out. So no need for any of us to get trigger happy. Alright?" Zoro stepped back and put his swords away, watching this play out.

"Fine..." he let up.

She coughed, "Get the hell away from me... You three are nothing but a pain in my ass!" she gasped and coughed again, "Now I'm going to die..." she admitted under her breath in terror as she clenched the ground. She had tried keeping her composure but her attitude due to fear got the best of her. She started crying as Law faintly heard and had a feeling of who she feared so badly knowing it wasn't Zoro.

"You're going to die, huh?" he questioned and kept eye contact with her as he crouched down and rested his arms hanging down against his knees, "Who exactly is it that you're so afraid of? Us? Or Doflamingo...?" he openly asked as her eyes were bloodshot with fear upon the mention of her captain's name upon her glaring at him with killing intent. "Heh, just what I thought."

Her glare let up as she continued to shed tears, "Yes, I'm terrified of him. He told me if I lost that he would kill me if I showed my face to him or if he found me. So please just kill me already... Put me out of my misery!" She looked at them in tears as Law sighed and grew annoyed with her give up attitude. He took off his hat and placed it on top of her head to keep her body insulated before patting her gently. She no longer shivered as much from the cold air they were in while still inside the cave she inhabited for them to fight her in.

"We have a common enemy. I won't let him kill you, and I'll even protect you, but only if you come with me and give me your aid in power so I can finally be free of him... Join my crew and you'll never have to worry about him getting to you." he insisted as he knew he could take advantage of her powers.

She looked at him, dumbfounded and unsure of what to do before she closed her eyes and rubbed them to make herself stop shedding tears. "Okay, I'll join you..." She said gently as she soon passed out on the floor from exhaustion.

"I guess she's exhausted," Luffy commented as he held his hat in place, staring at her curiously.

Law grinned, "Eeyep," he sighed, "looks like it. Let's get the lady out of here." Law insisted as he went to her and lifted her up onto his back with his sword under his right arm as he carried her. "She's not that heavy, what a relief." He chuckled softly upon the three walking out and heading towards the ship. Law explained to them that Doflamingo wasn't even on the island anymore as they continued walking to the Thousand Sunny.

He began to feel unusually surprised the more her body lay against his. He actually started to like feeling her presence again him as he glanced back at her face, peaceful and appearing to be dreaming sweetly before he felt her nuzzle against the back of his head. He sighed with annoyance before he smiled a bit as he couldn't deny he was growing fond of her already. When she was able to walk on her own he let her off his back.

She asked him a question. "Trafalgar Law, right...?"

He grinned, "That's right."

He blinked when she asked her next question, "May I hold your hand? In case I get weak again?" She questioned softly as he thought it over and held out his hand with a sigh.

"I'm not much for constant contact, but I don't see why not. You already have my hat, I don't see a problem giving you my hand." He chuckled softly, "You know, you're pretty sweet for a vicious pirate raised by Doflamingo. Who whoulda thought?" He looked down at her upon feeling her grip his hand and clench it tightly. He frowned, "...Sorry, I'll make sure not to mention his name again, okay?" She nodded.

Soon, they were near the ship before complications arose. Law gasped softly upon feeling Katherine fall as she released her grip before he proceeded in catching her so she wouldn't hit the ground. He stared at her, wondering what was wrong and watched with concern as she was breathing heavily. Luffy looked at her curiously with his arms behind his head while Zoro just turned slightly and glanced after he stopped walking.

"What's wrong now?" Zoro questioned.

"I'm just dizzy..." She answered.

Law took note of the signs and began to have a faint suspicion before he decided to confirm it. He knelt down, laying her against him as she had her eyes closed, gasping and breathing heavily with strain, "..." He remembered Luffy's punch to her chest and grew curious, _"Could "that" be it...?"_ He questioned to himself. He gently pulled down the cloth covering her breasts seeing the large purple bruise along her chest area where the focus of the impact was.

Luffy looked at it, "That's where I punched her. Did I hit her too hard?" He questioned.

"Looks like it, Straw Hat." He sighed and looked towards the coast, "We need to hurry, she's suffering from hemopericardium/cardiac tamponade. Luckily I brought some medical equipment with me on the ship."

The two men had question marks beside their head, "She's suffering from what?" Luffy and Zoro questioned in unison.

"She's bleeding around her heart from the blunt force trauma your Gum Gum Pistol caused when it impacted her chest. She'll die if I don't perform a Thoracotomy on her and quickly."

"Thora-what?" Luffy questioned as Law picked her up and carefully rushed her to the ship. Zoro and Luffy followed quickly behind.

"Surgery that will make her bleeding stop..." He explained agitatedly.

Usopp came to greet them before Law rushed past him and went to put her on the dining table after removing her cloth. Sanji noticed and yelled at him. "Get her off my clean table!" Sanji suddenly saw the girl and how beautiful she was as well as seeing her without clothes on. His cheeks flushed bright pink before he gasped, noticing the bruise on her chest, "W-what's wrong with her?!" Sanji questioned frantically.

Sanji bled from his nose a bit as Law gently took the tape from her nipples. 

"Your friend Luffy hit her hard enough she started bleeding internally. I need to help her." Law explained.

"He did what...? To this beautiful woman?" he grits his teeth with an angered glare as he walked to Luffy and glared daggers into his eyes. Luffy blinked and looked at Sanij.

Luffy tilted his head. "Hi, Sanji. What's up?". Suddenly Sanji lifted his leg and slammed his foot into Luffy's face knocking him into the wall before Luffy growled and yelled back at him. "What was that for?!" 

"Don't ever hit a lady, you idiot! She could be dying right now!" Sanji growled.

"Zoro fought her too!" Luffy complained before Sanji lifted his leg and swung it thwacking Zoro in the side of the neck and making him hit the wall right next to Luffy.

"I can't tell which of you are the bigger idiot right now!" Sanji soon saw Law glaring at all three off them. They stopped and calmed down as Luffy and Zoro rubbed their bruises agitatedly.

Zoro had Nami and Robin go in to help. He was given his instruments and opened up the case, putting on his medical gloves immediately. "What's going on?!" Nami questioned.

"You two, help prepare me for a Thoracotomy... Hurry, before she dies." He insisted as he pulled up his gloves and gives them clear instructions on what to do.

"Thora-what..?" Nami questioned panicked-ly.

"No time to explain, just do as I say!" He demanded.

The Thoracotomy kit was placed off to the side.

"Wait, do you have any anesthetics?!" Robin questioned.

"No, now hurry!" Law replied as Luffy and Zoro stood inside confused.

Luffy watched to the side worriedly as Zoro just observed before Law kicked them both out. She was now what Luffy considered a friend, and what he'd done was killing her. He felt regretful even though it was the right thing to do as he sensed she was more gentle during the fight than she let on as did Law.

"I hope she makes it..." Luffy covered his face with his hat.

"Yeah... but without anesthetics, she's going to be screaming..." Zoro remained quiet and watched the door as Luffy's crew approached. Luffy refused to leave his spot as Zoro went to the ship and laid himself down on the deck to get some rest, snoring as he fell asleep with ease.

\---  
In the medical room, Katherine had already begun screaming in pain, her chest from the breastbone had been opened and cleared the way for him to check and see where the blood was emitting from. He had Sanji and Nami hold her still as she tried to resist. 

"Hold still!!!" Law demanded, "Or else you're gonna die!" She tried and flinched when he checked around her heart where the bruise had started and continued his procedure upon seeing the problem. He had no way to intubate her to supply her with oxygen nor did he have the oxygen and anesthesia to assist ventilation and numb the pain. He had no way to keep her blood flow steady but knew everything would work out anyway with his level of skill. He had already made his incision and divided the periosteum and parietal pleura in one layer with scissors and her screaming only worsened as he had done so. The chest wall was bleeding a bit more than minimal from her adrenaline while her internal thoracic arteries needed to be ligated or significant hemorrhage would likely occur as circulation was restored, but he couldn't take the time. "Alright, everyone hold her down so I can work..."

"Right." They held her as she screamed upon his continuation.

Law placed his finger over the direct cardiac defect, following up by placing a sterile Foley catheter through the cardiac wound and inflating the balloon. He then applied gentle traction to close the hole and made sure she was stable as he continued. She had finally stopped screaming and looked up at him weakly. She tried to speak, "Shh, you're doing great. Just give me a bit longer and you can rest." He smiled softly and she closed her eyes. Other venous accesses were available, so he kept the catheter clamped while, lastly, he closed any myocardial defects with a buttressed Vicryl suture avoiding the coronary arteries. Due to his skill level, everything had worked properly and her vital signs were stabilized. He grinned softly and sighed in relief as he wiped the sweat from his brow, "There... Good as new~" She had already been passed out as he apologized to Sanji for the blood on the table as he looked at the blood on his gloves with a smirk as a reflection of his success. _"Yep, she'll be just fine..."_ he thought to himself confidently.

"It's no big deal, I can clean it up easily." Sanji smiled, "Just make sure she's okay." Law nodded.

"I'll be taking her with me to my bed so I can properly monitor her vital signs," Law stated as Nami grew a bit agitated that she would be where the boys could gawk at her if they wanted. Luffy didn't care where she slept and was just happy she was okay and upon seeing Luffy happy, Zoro grinned a bit. 

"I don't find that appropriate, we can just as easily monitor her if you tell us what to do to determine what's going on if something seems out of the ordinary..." Nami heavily insisted.

Law made a straight face and looked towards the carrot top, "Listen, I may be a man, but I'm a doctor first and she's MY patient. Plus, if she's going to help me and the least I can do is protect her and watch over her recovery alone..." He then sighed, "Plus, as I said, I'm the doctor and there are some vital signs that you wouldn't be able to tell have changed or what to look for OR how to do it perfectly even if I informed you, so let me watch over her. I'll keep the others away from 'er." 

"... Fine, you've got a point." Nami sighed as Robin smiled seeing the girl would be okay.  
\---  
Later on that day, he had put her in his bed keeping her away from the others and leaned against the wall next to her. He rested his eyes after having been watching her so much so he could make sure her vitals stayed stable. He was growing protective and he knew this. _"Why am I growing attached to her...?"_ He felt puzzled. 

Luffy walked up and looked at her with a smile, "Awesome!!! She's going to be alright!!!" He yelled which made her whimper softly and turn over. Law frowned.

"Someone should've put a muzzle on you before you came in here. You're too noisy, Straw Hat!" Law noticed his tone and looked away. He then sighed as he patted his head gently, "Go back to the others and take care of your business, Okay?" He smiled.

"Hm, okay!" Luffy grinned and chuckled walking out heartily.

As Luffy walked off, Law grinned at the boy's energetic nature before looking back at Katherine, "Huh?" He was surprised as she was sitting up and reached for his hand, gripping it. "... Sorry, did I wake you?" He paused before asking some important questions, "Do you need food? Water?" He asked calmly. She smiled softly, already doing better which made him smile a bit. He gently patted her on the head. She began to purr which caught him off guard before he chuckled, "Looks like I got myself a kitty cat." He teased.

"My name is Katherine Adriana... Thank you for saving me, Dr. Law." She smiled.

"Hey, just call me by my first name," he insisted. He soon realized, "Damn, you already have so much energy it seems. I hope you don't mind that I'll be calling you Katnip from now on." He grinned.

She giggled softly, "Sure. If you want to." She smiled before he suddenly felt her hugging him tightly.

"Careful now... You don't want to reopen the incision." He warned her before gently sitting her back on the bed and forcing her to lay down, "Get some more rest." He insisted.

She frowned and looked off-put by not being allowed to move with all the energy she was getting back, but softly sighed and purred with a peaceful expression on her face upon feeling him gently pat her head as she used his hat as a pillow to hold in her arms. He sat down with her on the bed which was big enough for two. "Well," he said with a sigh, "it's my bed, I might as well lie down and get comfy." He stood and took off his shirt, revealing his tattoos before he sat back down and gently moved her over without waking her. He laid down next to her, kicking off his shoes and checked her forehead.

"No fever..." he paused then chuckled, "I'm never going to get that hat back, huh...?" He questioned aloud as he faced her, grinning gently and returning to watching her as she rested peacefully, "You're somethin' else..." He admitted and looked at her gentle expression as the sun was setting and making the room get darker. Soon the ship was setting sail. Later on, he had gotten up to go to the bathroom and got back in the bed with her only to smile as she was still sound asleep, "Good. Still asleep..." he gently reached for her before stopping himself. A dark thought loomed over him as he frowned with a serious expression, _"What do I do... if I can't protect her...?"_


	2. Law's Secret Revealed

As Katherine slept, Law slept lightly to make sure he'd wake up if something out of the ordinary took place. "Mm... Hm?" He looked down seeing Katherine with her face against his chest. He unknowingly held her back when she cuddled up to him during the night. "Hey... hey." He shook her a bit. "Hey, Katnip, wake up..." he was growing agitated until he felt her gentle heartbeat against his chest. He let it be, continuing to hold her as she slept. _"That's her heartbeat. Good, she's still breathing."_ He blushed softly feeling her breasts pressed against his chest along with her. "Doesn't help that her boobs are against me, though..." he paused before he noticed the room getting brighter. "The sun is starting to rise." he thought to himself, _"I'd better get up an- well... if she'll let me go I could get up."_ He struggled.

He was growing more frustrated before he heard her whimper softly and mumble. "Trafalgar. Please don't leave me..." she sounded upset as he gasped upon hearing her tone.

"But, Katnip," He smiled gently and pat her head, "I need to go use the bathroom." She looked up at him with her blue eyes. He looked into them calmly. "Please?" He tried being patient as her expression kept him calm for now.

She let go and sat herself up, gasping softly. "Owie..." she reached for her chest and breathed heavily as Law took notice after having walked to the door. 

He turned back to her and gently put his hand against her chest. "Shh, don't breathe so heavily, deep calm breaths." She started breathing in and out calmly before she finally caught her breath. He sighed in relief. "Don't worry. You had shortness of breath because of the sudden pain from moving too quickly. You need to watch yourself and be more patient. Okay?" 

He gently pats her before taking his hat where she was using it as a pillow. He put his hat back on and looked at her curiously. "Trafalgar, you have tattoos?" She questioned curiously, taking in the sight of his shirtless figure. 

He noticed she was slightly perked in interest by that fact and grinned. "Katnip likes what she sees huh?" He teased. "And yeah, I got tattoos." He started walking towards the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to head to the bathroom."

\---

Law had finished using the bathroom yet the same bathroom was the closest one to her. She got up and carefully walked to the boy's bathroom and used the toilet as the water running on his body was too loud for him to notice. After Katherine finished and wiped herself, she put down her nightgown to cover herself and stopped, staring at the unusual thing in front of her. Law had walked out only to turn red after putting the towel around his neck. He was wide-eyed upon seeing Katherine staring at him in all his naked glory. He glared and shouted. "Get out!!!" He looked surprised seeing her expression become fearful and tears streaming down her cheeks as she ran out of the bathroom and coughed upon getting to the bed. She was feeling extremely sore and whined softly.

"I'm sorry..." she started shaking and got under the sheets. Luckily all the other guys were sleeping right through it except for Sanji who just kept quiet. Law looked utterly annoyed and looked down at himself before putting a towel around his waist. He forced himself to try and calm down from the embarrassment.

"She was staring right at my penis... I get that it's big and all but ugh. Dammit!" He clenched his fist and started feeling guilty about making her cry and walked out after getting dressed. He then immediately wondered if her wound reopened. _"Oh no, I made her run. I swear to god if her damn incision opens up..."_ He walked up to the bed and sat down. She flinched but he was gentle, for now, with a blush on his face. "Hey... Don't worry about what you saw. I'm sorry that I yelled at ya." His blush only got deeper upon hearing her next comment.

"I saw your penis..." She admitted softly with a blush while holding his pillow and buried her face in it slightly.

"Yeah yeah, I know, but forget you ever saw 'im okay?" He insisted sternly but curiosity got the best of her.

She turned over to face him and stared at him. "Him?" She questioned, sniffling. He sighed and agitatedly placed his hand to his temples.

"Yeah..." he remarked.

She suddenly hugged him gently as he looked surprised and remembered her condition. "He seemed happy to see me for some reason." She teased as he pinned her down, catching her off guard as she blushed, "What are you doing?"

He checked her vitals. "Good... you're still okay." He sighed in relief, blocking out the last comment she made about his member which wasn't her business at the moment though it's appearance wasn't a secret anymore for her. _"If her wound opened, with my skill level it'd be my biggest blunder as a surgeon. I can't let that happen and I NEED her to defeat Doflamingo."_

"Hm?" He looked down at her as she'd become heavier having fallen asleep hugging him. He sighed slightly annoyed still before hearing her purr. He reluctantly patted her and gently stroked her head. _"She's already this much trouble... Jeez."_ He then scratched the back of his head. He carefully released her grip around him and gently laid her down. 

 

He then proceeded to get up and go to the kitchen to find Sanji having gotten up and snuck by. He was cooking breakfast. "So, how was the view? Did she like it?" Sanji snickered.

Law frowned and gritted his teeth. "Don't patronize me! It was an accident!" he insisted as he was still highly embarrassed.

Sanji smirked, "What I wouldn't give to see her naked again." He pondered with his index finger along his jaw and thumb parallel at a 90-degree angle. He cheeks flushed bright pink. Law didn't like that comment and felt inclined to never mention to her that a good bit of the crew had seen her naked during the surgery before he had put her in one of Nami's spare nightgowns once he cleaned her up of the blood when it was over. He was even more agitated when he remembered that she refused to wear panties. "She never did let you put those panties on her did she?" He continued to poke fun.

"Shut your damn mouth." Law barked back sternly as he leaned back against the chair he sat himself in—eyes closed—before Sanji let up and got serious.

"Her wounds didn't open when she ran did they?" Sanji questioned, looking forward in thought and stopped what he was doing before continuing, wrapping seaweed around a jelly filled onigiri.

"Nah, I know my work. She'll be fine." Law grinned with pride before looking at the onigiri when Sanji was done. He handed it to him having made it just for her along with a cup of hot tea. Law looked confused, "What's this stuff for?"

"She's probably hungry and thirsty, too. Go give that to her so she doesn't starve." Sanji stated insistently as he then started scrambling eggs for the crew.

Law stared at it and looked back at the door. "Right. Thanks..."

\---

She sat up as Law came into the room, rubbing her eyes. "Hey, what's that?" She asked curiously as Law held it in front of her.

Law looked at the food and handed her the onigiri and the cup of tea. "Here, from Sanji." 

She blinked before smiling softly. "Tell him I said thank you." She carefully started eating and blew on her tea before taking a sip. "Mm~" she giggled before looking back at Law. She looked down at the onigiri. With there being only one bite in it, she broke it in half. 

Law looked confused upon her handing him that half. "Hey, what's this for? Eat it yourself, you need it." He tried handing it back but she refused and shook her head.

"It's yours ." She smiled as he wasn't sure why she'd share when she needed it more.

He sighed, "Alright." He gave in annoyedly and took a bite. He blushed softly, hiding his flushed cheeks under his cap as even his ears were red from hearing her purr as she ate.

\---

After finishing her meal, she smiled up at him and nuzzled against his abdomen. He sighed and smiled a bit, "So how was the snack? Was it good?" He liked the food but wondered if she did as well.

"Yeah..." she replied before drifting off to sleep again. 

He chuckled. "All out of energy again." He grinned at her and laid her back down to rest. He also made sure she wasn't cold and kept her covered with his sheet.

"That's a good girl, get some rest..." He smiled softly and went back to his business. _"Sleep well."_


End file.
